This invention relates in general to means of conveyance and in particular to self-propelled three-wheel means such as tricycles.
Although bicycles represent a very common, practical and enjoyable self-propelled means of conveyance, the fact that such conveyances have only two wheels requires a certain degree of balancing ability in order to utilize this type of conveyance. Almost everyone is, at some point in life, able to enjoy bicycling, yet elderly persons and those with certain disabilities have found that three-wheel conveyances are more suitable to their needs and abilities. Of course, tricycles are well known in the art and the type used by children have a front wheel used for both steering and driving with a pair of rear wheels for stability and balance. This type of conveyance is typically quite small and thus unacceptable for adults to use. Therefore, it would be an improvement to such conveyances in general if there was a way to convert a regularly sized adult bicycle into a suitably sized tricycle which would thus be of a size and an arrangement appropriate for use by adults. A further improvement would be to retain the rear, chain-driven wheel and add a new third wheel as a second front steering wheel. This arrangement would provide greater stability and easier powering of the conveyance by means of pedaling than would a tricycle of the more conventional arrangement wherein there is only one front steering and drive wheel and two rear wheels.
Among the considerations relating to such a three-wheel conveyance and the nature of the conversion kit for converting a bicycle into such a conveyance are the ease of modifying the bicycle and the overall cost of doing so. One factor associated with the overall cost is how much of the existing bicycle can be used and how many new parts must be provided in order to create the three-wheel conveyance.
Among the design considerations for two front steering wheels is their positional relationship to each other and to the rear drive wheel as well as how to connect these front wheels to a steering means such as handlebars, so that the wheels turn in different degrees, depending on whether the particular wheel is to the inside or the outside of the selected turning path.